Newcastle boss Alan Pardew boosted by Mourinho & co

MILES STARFORTH

ALAN Pardew says he’s grateful for the support of Jose Mourinho and the Premier League’s “senior managers”.

Newcastle United’s manager was widely – and rightly – condemned for his headbutt on Hull City’s David Meyler earlier this month.

There were calls for Pardew to be sacked given his previous rap sheet.

But United owner Mike Ashley instead chose to fine him £100,000.

Pardew was also handed a seven-match ban, and fined £60,000, by the Football Association for the incident.

The sanction was the heaviest ever handed to a Premier League manager.

However, Pardew – who has been involved in a number of touchline altercations during his managerial career – says the backing he has had from his counterparts has “lifted his spirits” in a difficult fortnight during which he has been battered from pillar to post.

And Pardew told the Gazette: “It’s nice to hear from your senior managers. I’ve had a few calls. I have to say they’ve lifted my spirits.

“When the Press are being so critical, as they were, it’s nice to know people still care about you in the football community.

“The working part of it (the football community) is with you.”

John Carver, Pardew’s No2, will be in charge from the moment the players leave the team hotel for the next three games, when Pardew will be banned from the stadium.

Pardew will deliver his team talk before the players leave for the ground.

The experienced Carver presided over a 3-0 success over Blackburn Rovers as caretaker manager after Sir Bobby Robson’s dimissal in 2004.

And Pardew – whose side take on basement club Fulham at Craven Cottage this afternoon – is hopeful he can maintain his 100 per cent record.

He said: “I’ll be disappointed if he wins 6-0 on Saturday!

“But seriously, if we win I’ll be genuinely pleased for him. A lot of the responsibility goes to John.”

Pardew and his staff were examining the terms of the stadium ban in the run-up to the Fulham game.

Even if Pardew – who will watch a live TV feed of the game – was permitted to communicate with Carver, he is not certain he would order a change during a match given that he won’t have the same feel of the match as his staff on the touchline.

He added: “Can I be in touch with the team? Am I going to be in touch with the team?

“Do I want to interefere with someone who is at the game, and has a gut feeling, and I’m sitting watching it on TV?